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2012 Daytona Bike Week Community Appreciation Parade presented by Harley-Davidson
Back after a seven-year hiatus, the much loved Community Appreciation Parade has returned to Daytona Beach Bike Week.
This event was an iconic one for several decades, but the Bike Week Parade was sidelined in 2005 when the Daytona 200 was moved from a Sunday to a Saturday event.
Local officials at the time weren’t convinced transportation officials could effectively move the 7,000 participants from the Ocean Center to the Speedway, along International Speedway Boulevard without bottlenecks and issues for emergency personnel to contend with.
Bob Coleman (Daytona Bike Week Festival Task Force Chairman) says: "This is a great way for our business community to say thank you to our visitors and for us to say thank you to our community for hosting the event.
"It is fitting that Harley-Davidson reprise their role as Presenting Sponsor of the parade as they have been there since the beginning, both as an event sponsor and founding sponsor of the parade. We certainly appreciate their continued support."
Since that time, local police and other officials have demonstrated time and time again that Daytona Beach is a town capable of handling any size event, on any day, without incident. The tens of thousands of fans that lined the route in years past have asked every year to bring the parade back.
Earlier this year, the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, City Officials, and Speedway Officials met to go over all aspects of the Parade and are excited to announce its triumphant return.
All interested participants riding motorcycles should congregate at the Ocean Center on Saturday, March 17, beginning at 7 a.m., where they will be directed to hold. At 9 a.m. the Parade will leave the Ocean Center with an escort of Daytona Beach Police Department Motorcycle Unit.
The parade procession will span to the Daytona International Speedway – a parade nearly 5.25 miles long. Along the route, community residents will show their pride and appreciation for hosting the World’s Largest Motorcycle Event.
The parade will end at Daytona International Speedway, home of the DAYTONA 200, hundreds of vendors and the Spring Dash. Parade participants may stick around and for the special price of $20 to watch the Daytona 200 from the Budweiser Party Porch, or for $30 purchase the opportunity to take a lap around the track after the DAYTONA 200.
For additional information on any aspect of Bike Week 2012, contact the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce at 386-255-0981.
